Level gauging device



May 11, 1937. J W, HOUSE y 2,979,908

LEVEL GAUGIEG DEVICE Filed Deo. 26, 1955 Patented May 11, 1937 UNITEDSTATES 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in level gaugingdevices.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device formeasuring the quantity of liquid in a tank or other container.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a gauge deviceincluding a simple braking means arranged to be operated with the samehand in which the device is held, whereby the descent of the weightedtape line may be instantly stopped and the unwinding of the tape reelchecked and also stopped to prevent undue slack in the line whenmeasuring.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved levelgauging device including a reel for receiving the measuring tape, saidlreel being mounted within a casing and movable laterally with relationto the side wall thereof whereby said reel may be engaged with said wallto form a brake to stop rotation of the reel; the operating means forthe movable reel being such that the operator may hold the device andcontrol the operating means with one hand.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specication and by reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich an Aexample of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the level gauging device, constructed inaccordance with the invention and showing the parts in braking positionin full lines and in released position in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 2 2 ofFigure l,

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 2 showing the reel in brakingengagement with the side wall of the casing,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the brake cams.

In the drawing the numeral I0 designates a circular shell or casinghaving a suitable handle II extending substantially radially therefrom.The head includes a iiat side plate l2 and an annular marginal flange I3extending from said plate and at substantially right angles thereto. Areel I4 is journaled in the head and the outer side of the reel forms aclosure for the open side of said head.

The outer side or portion of the reel includes a circular plate or diskI5 which overhangs the edge of the flange I3 so as to frictionallyengage the latter and produce a braking action. At the same time thatthe disk engages the edge of the flange the reel engages the side plateI2, whereby the braking action is amplified. By moving the reel into thehead, the brake is applied; and by moving the reel out of the head, thebrake is released.

The reel is provided at its center with an annular box I5 and an axialbore I6 extending from the box through the inner side of the reel. Aball bearing member I'I is snugly mounted in the box, as is shown inFigures 2 and 3. A stub axle I8 is rotatably and slidably mounted in thebore i6 so as to abut the bearing member Il and has a reduced trunnionI3 extending into the bearing member and receiving a screw 2li, wherebya cap 2| is held in the outer end of the box for closing the latter.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the reel I4 is rotatablysupported by the bearing member Il on the axle I 8. The axle projectsthrough an annular boss 22 on the outer side of the plate I2 and hasfastened on its outer end a collar 23. The collar is fastened on theaxle by means of a set screw 24, as is shown in Figure 3. The boss 22 isprovided with inclined cams 22' and the collar 23 is formed withcomplementary cams 23. These cams are so inclined that upon movement ofthe collar 23, in a counter-clockwise direction (Figure l), the axlewill be slid so as to draw the reel I4 into the head Ill, whereby thedisk I5 will engage the edge of the flange I3 and the inner nat side ofthe reel will engage the inner side of the plate I2, thereby applyingthe brake. When the collar 23 is moved in a clockwise direction (dottedlines, Figure 1), the axle I8 will be slid outwardly, thus displacingthe reel I4 from the flange I3 and plate I2 and thereby releasing thereel for unwinding. A coiled spring 2`I surrounds both the collar 23 andboss 22 and has one end secured to the former and its other end securedto the latter. The tension is exerted at all times to hold the reeloutwardly from the ange I3 and shell III and it is obvious that normallythe parts are out of braking position.

An operating lever 25 extends radially from the collar and has alaterally directed thumb piece 26 overhanging the flange I3. The arm ispreferably made integral with the collar 23. When the lever 25 isdepressed, co-acting stops 30 on the cams will limit the downward swingof the operating parts and the outward displacement of the reel. Anordinary metal tape line A is coiled on the reel in the usual manner andhas a sinker B attached. to its lower end. The disk l5, near its outerperiphery, is provided with a handle knob 35, by which said reel may bevmanually rotated.

Normally the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, inwhich the reel is fully wound and the brake is applied, the arm 25 beingswung upwardly by the spring 2l. When it is desired to use the device,the" operator grasps the handle Il in his left hand and places his thumbupon the element 26 of the lever 25, as is shown in Figure 1. The deviceis held over the tank or container in which it is desired to measure thedepth or level of the liquid. When the operator depresses the lever 25,the axle i8 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, as hereinafterexplained, whereby the cams 23 will ride inwardly on the cams 22 and thereel l@ will be displaced from the plate l2 and ange i3 of the head,thus releasing the brake. The sinker B will then descend, pulling thetape A behind it and unwinding the reel. The lever is depressed only asuicient distance to release the brake, as is shown in dotted lines inFigure 1.

When the sinker B reaches the bottom of the tank or container, or hasdescended to the desil'ed point, the operator merely has to release thelever 25, whereby the spring 2l', which has been extended, will rotatethe axle i3 in a counter-clockwise direction, which will cause the cams23 to ride outwardly on the cams 22', thereby applying the brake andinstantly stopping the descent of the tape line and the unwinding of thereel. Then the slack in the tape line may instantly be taken up bylifting the device, but ordinarily this is not necessary, as theoperator will feel the sinker strike the bottom of the tank andinstantly release the lever.

The operator next grasps the knob 35 with his right hand and depressesthe lever 25 to release the brake. He then proceeds to rotate the reelto wind the tape line A thereon. When the wet portion of the lineappears, the measurement may be observed and noted. When the measurementhas been noted and the tape wound upon the reel, the operator releasesthe lever 25 and removes his hand from the knob 35, whereby the brake isimmediately applied.

While the device has been described as a measuring device, it is to beunderstood that it may be used in connection with line reeling devices.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination in a level gauging device, a support having a handle,a reel journaled on the support for carrying a measuring tape line andmovable int-0 braking engagement with the support, resilient means foryieldably pressing said reel in its engagement with the support, andmeans for positively moving said reel out of braking engagement withsaid support.

2. In combination in a level gauging device, a support having a handle,a reel journaled on the support for carrying a measuring tape line andmovable into braking engagement with the support, means for yieldablyholding said reel in its braking engagement, hand operated lever and cammeans for moving said reel out of braking engagement with said support,and means for manually winding thereel.

3. In combination in a level gauging device, a support having a handle,a reel journaled on said support for carrying a measuring tape andmovable into and out of braking engagement with said support, means formanually moving said reel, spring means connected with said moving meansfor holding the reel in braking engagement with the support, and handoperated lever and cam means for actuating said moving means inopposition to said spring means to move said reel out of brakingengagement with the support.

4. In combination in a level gauging device, a circular head, a handleconnected to said head, a reel for carrying a tape line and movable intoand out of braking engagement with said head, an axle on which said reelis journaled and movably mounted in the head, a lever connected to saidaxle, and cam means carried by the head and said device for moving saidaxle to shift said reel upon the actuation of said lever.

5. In combination in a level gauging device, a circular head, a handleconnected to said head, a reel for carrying a tape line and movable intoand out of braking engagement with said head, an axle on which said reelis journaled movably mounted in the head, a lever connected to saidaxle, means carried by the head and said lever for moving said axle toshift said reel upon the actuation of said lever, and resilient meansfor moving said axle and normally holding the reel in braking engagementwith the head.

6. In combination in a level gauging device, a circular head having amarginal ange, a handle extending radially from the head, a reel forcarrying a tape line journaled in the head and overlapping the flangefor engagement therewith, an axle on which said reel is journaled, saidaxle being rotatably and slidably mounted in the head, a cam carried bythe head, a collar fastened on the axle and having a cam for engagingthe cam of the head for sliding said axle upon rotation thereof, a leverconnected with said lcollar and having a thumb piece on its free end,and a coiled spring having one end connected with the casing and theother end connected with the collar for rotating said collar andbringing the reel into braking engagement with the head.

7. In combination, a support having a handle, a reel journaled on thesupport for carrying a line and movable into braking engagement with thesupport, resilient means for yieldably pressing said reel in its brakingengagement with the support and means for positively moving said reelout of braking engagement with said support.

JOHN W. HOUSE.

